Welded sheet-metal container



Aug. 14, 1928.

H. H. GARY WELDED SHEET METAL CONTAINER Filed Nov. l9, 1925 -2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 14, 1928. 1,680,535

- H. H. GARY WELDED SHEET METAL ONTAINER Filed Nov.l9, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 U. l I L H. H- 6 42; l

- an expansion joint in the head between its Patented Aug. 14,

UNITED STATES HART-WELL H. GARY, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA ,PATENTTOFFICE.

wnnnnn SHEET-METAL oon'ramrm.

Application flledili'oveniber 19, 1925. Sgrial No. 70,193. v

material, the heads being flanged around the edges and secured to the'sheet by welding the'seam on the edge formed by the junction of the flange and the end of the body or shell. Difiiculty has been experienced in producing a weld on this edge which will withstand fracture due tothe distortion or bending in the head when it bulges outwardly due to pressure within the tank, such for instance as would be caused by the pressure of the compressed air which is used for test ing the tank so that it may be made free from leaks.

Difiiculty has also been experienced in preventing the heat developed inwelding, from warping or buckling the heads and thereby be dished or bulged outwardly, as shown in 1 producing objectionable internal stresses and also detracting from the neat appearance of thefinished tank. Y

The object of my invention is to provide an improved tank or container for the purpose set forth wherein these difiiculties may be overcome.

With this end in view my invention consists in making a tank of sheet metal with welded scams or joints, each head of, said tank being provided with a circumferential bead U-shaped in cross section and forming center panel which bulges'under pressure and its marginal out-turned flange which is welded to the tank body.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which I Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal cross section of a finished tank made in accordance with my invention in its preferred form.

Fig. 2 is a fragment'al'top plan view of same.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the head before same is bulged or dished outwardly by pressure withinthe tank.

Fig. 4 is a cross section showing a modified form of head.

' 5-is a cross section through the shell F1 and fiend oint on a a g sca e In these views corresponding figures represent corresponding part-s.

. In the preferred process of manufacture the sheet metal shell or body 6 is'bentto the desired shape, which is usually oval orcircular, and the longitudinal seam is welded; TlllS seam is not shown on the drawingsbecause it has no bearingon my The sheet metal head. is then;

invention. rolled or pressed into the shape shown in Fig. 3 in which 2 represents a flange around the edge of the head, 3a U-s'hap'edbead or expansionjoint extending around the head and adjacent to. the flange, and 4 a central panel. The "expansion joint 3 is shownto.

project outwardly but it is obvious that this is merely the preferred direction. It will be observed that in Fig.3 the central panel 4 is bulged or dished inwardly the welding machine, in addition to which another advantage will be referred to later in this specification.

It is obvious however that the headscould Ina tank made inaccordance with my invention, the expansion' caused by the'heat of the welding process is .now absorbed in the U-shaped expansion jointor bead 3' which closes slightly when the head is heated and opens again when cooled, thus preventing t. head from becoming warped or buckled. I now introduce compressed air into the tank. through the opening 7 the pressure being suflicien't to-cause the head to move suddenly and with some orce from .the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown 1. This movement produces a sharp vibration of the weld l which serves as a percussion test to aid in developing any weaknesses which may be present. The vibration only and not the ermanent movement .of the head is transmitted to the weld, for the ermanent movement is absorbed by the U-s aped expansion joint or bead if),

75 which makes it more convenient to hold in which functions as a hinge and thus prevents the bending and destruction of the weld which takes place when a plain flanged head without the bead is bulged or dished outwardly by pressure within the tank.

In order to secure the results just described, it is important that the bead 3 lie as close as possible to the flange 2, and I have found in practice that the distance between said parts should not be materially greater than the width of the bead.

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

1. A welded sheet metal container, composed of a tubular shell, and heads, each having an outwardly disposed marginal flange adapted to fit snugly within an end of the tubular shell, and a weld joint 20 connecting the edge only of said flange to the container, each head having a deep bead which is interposed between, and is adapted to form an expansion 'oint connecting, the flanged margin of the with its central panel, and lies closely adjacent to said flange. Y

2. A welded sheet metal container comprisin a tubular shell and metallic heads provided each with a deep marginal flange, a central concavo-convex panel, and a deep 7 integral U-shaped, bead lying closely adjacent to said flange and adapted to form an expansion joint connecting the flanged mar gin of the head with its central panel, said head flanges being adapted to fit snugly in the open ends of the shell, and welded joints connecting the end edges only of the shell and head flanges.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARTWELL H. GARY. 

